1858  –  33 citizens acquire the property of the former medieval Augustinian monastery inter lacus to build a spa, a whey centre and a society house. The buyers lease the property to the French Baron Azène du Plessis.

1859  –  The grand opening of the newly built Kursaal with rooms for reading, games, restaurants, music and balls is taking place on July 20. Just one month later, the ban on ‘games of chance’ is issued and the Kurhaus is closed again.

1862 – The corporation ‘Kurhausgesellschaft Interlaken’ is established by the buyers of Aarzelgmatte.

1873  –  A music pavilion is erected in the centre axis of the Kursaalgarden. In 1892, it is moved to the left-hand so that the Jungfrau is visible from the main building.

1883  –  The ‘Casinogesellschaft’ reintroduces ‘jeu des petits chevaux’ (the horse game) to provide the Kursaal much needed income.

1885  –  The ‘jeu des petits chevaux’ brings in a net profit of around CHF 15,000.-, but there is a risk that the previously harmless game of chance will be banned and the Kursaal will lose this welcome income.

1888  –  According to the law, in public pubs is prohibited. In order to fulfil the legal requirements the Board of Directors declares the Kursaal a private establishment. As a result, the local population is excluded from the Kursaal.

1889  –  The Kursaal is illuminated with electricity for the first time.

1890  –  The new Gaming Law of the Canton of Bern allows gambling. In addition to the famous ‘jeu des petits chevaux’, a railroad game is now also on offer at the Kursaal Interlaken.

1898  –  The whey centre is closed due to the latest medical findings. A beer pub is leased and the premises are used for all kinds of festivities.

1899 bis 1910  –  The first major new building is completed. The Neuchâtel architect Paul Bouvier creates the Kursaal, now a listed building, with a concert hall, auditorium and theatre, as well as the entrance.

1910  –  Opening of the big concert and theatre hall. Events of many kinds are held successfully at the Kursaal.

1910  –  Interlaken develops into a congress centre. The Kursaalgesellschaft buys the neighbouring Hotel Belvédère to improve access and build car parks. The hotel is sold to the municipality of Interlaken in 1943.

1914  –  At the beginning of the First World War, almost all the staff are called up and the Kursaal is closed. The accounts close with a loss of CHF 75,000. On 13 July, a popular initiative for a ban on gambling is submitted at federal level. Reopening with poor business due to the war and reduced operations at the insistence of the hotel industry. The loss is a record-breaking CHF 181,000.

1918  –  The Kurhausgesellschaft has accrued debts totaling CHF 2.2 million.

1920  –  The number of guests and visitors is slowly rising again, with many tourists attending concerts and events in the Kursaal. On 20 March, the popular initiative to ban gambling is accepted. The Kursaal has five years until it has to cease operations.

1921  –  A reorganisation agreement is negotiated with the banks and creditors.

1925  –  Despite petitions from the Swiss Kursaal Association and various initiatives in the National Council and the Council of States, the Federal Council decides that the gambling ban will apply from 20 March 1925.

1926  –  The official spa committee grants the  Kurhausgesellschaft an annual subsidy of CHF 30,000 on condition that guests have free admission to the Kursaal gardens. As President of the Swiss Kursaal Association, the President of the Kurhaus Society initiates the ‘Referendum on the preservation of the Kursaal and the promotion of Swiss tourism’. The so-called ‘casino initiative’
is realised.

1928  –  Gaming revenue is lacking and the Kursaal is struggling to survive. The Kursaal initiative with limited gambling opportunities is accepted on 2 December. The stake is limited to CHF 2.00 and 25% of the proceeds are to be donated to charitable organisations.

1929  –  The reintroduced game generates a profit of CHF 118′000.

1930  –  The Kurhausgesellschaft participates in the construction of the lido and the access road. The Kursaal takes over the catering in the lido.

1932  –  Major financial problems as a result of the global economic crisis lead to further reorganisation.

1933  –  As the Kurhaus company was unable to pay the municipal and state taxes, the payment order is served on 5 July. payment order was served on 5 July. The Kurhaus company reaches an agreement with the municipality, which accepts a proposal from the tourist office.

1937  –  The continuing difficult economic situation is forcing the
Board of Directors to carry out a further reorganisation. The share capital is massively reduced and the banks and bondholders waive part of their contributions. The Kursaal is able to write off the accumulated debt of CHF 635,000.

1940  –  The doors of the Kursaal close once again, this time
due to the Second World War. The premises are converted into an army warehouse.

1942 bis 1943  –  Letting does not generate enough income, which requires a new radical refurbishment.

1945 bis 1946  –  The concert hall, which was still open at the time, is fitted with glass windows to provide protection from the wind and weather. In this context, the garden, the fountain and the flower clock are remodelled. In the east wing, the then little-used reading room, a bar is set up (today’s Spycher)

1946  –  The Kursaal is reopened after completion of the construction work and of the 2nd World War. The ‘Interlaken Festival’ is planned with eight symphony concerts, 43 opera and ballet performances and five chamber music serenades. Due to a lack of funds, this event cannot be realised. The ‘Concertgebouw’ orchestra from Amsterdam lays the foundations for the Mozart Weeks and today’s ‘Interlaken Classics’.

1955 bis 1958  –  The bar is converted into a modern bar-dancing area. In the concert hall, 16 wooden pillars are  removed to optimise the audience’s view. They are replaced by steel beams that disappear under the wooden panelling. The stage will be remodelled and extended. The lighting and acoustics will be improved and heating will be installed. The dressing rooms under the stage will be modernised for the artists.

The now modernised Bar-Dancing is rebuilt and enlarged again. A small games room (today’s ‘La Boule’) is added adjacent to the bar.

1959  –  The 100th anniversary is celebrated with great fanfare. The Kursaal is doing well financially.

1960 bis 1965  –  Interlaken records a massive increase in the number of guests. The highlight of the 1960 season is a guest performance by the Vienna State Opera Ballet. In the middle of winter, a direct television broadcast from the inadequately heated concert hall takes place for the first time.

1967  –  The new entrance area on Höheweg is created and
the ‘le Petit Casino’ is inaugurated.

1969  –  For the first time, the Kursaal will host a banquet for
brewers’ congress a banquet for 1′200 people will be organised.

1970  –  On 7 August, a storm sweeps over the Bödeli and fells nine nine fir trees and three other trees in the Kursaalgarten.

1971  –  An initial concrete project for a congress centre with costs of CHF 16.3 million has been submitted. The application for funding is rejected by the cantonal government.

1973  –  The ‘Kongresshaus Interlaken AG’ is founded.
as a private company to drive forward the construction of the congress centre and is responsible for raising the finances.

1976  –  The Interlaken electorate rejects the contribution of CHF 2 million at the ballot box.

1978  –  After the Kursaal becomes the client, the business makes progress. A share capital increase is a great success. Financing is secured and construction can begin.

1980  –  The congress building with its foyer and some smaller group rooms on the lower and upper upper floor are inaugurated. The cost proposal of CHF 6.3 million can be adhered to by the architects. The Kursaal is added to the list of federal historic monuments and placed under federal monument protection.

1980 bis 1984  –  The exterior of the Kursaal is being renovated.

1983 bis 1984  –  Restoration work is carried out in the theatre hall and the former games room (now the ballroom).

1984  –  The renovation and restoration of the Rotunda (now the Rondell). The American Bar is briefly converted into a café. The café quickly turns out to be a flop and the hall is converted into a preparation room for events.

1985 bis 1986  –  The west entrance, which is still open, will be glazed with two doors. The glass front of the east wing is replaced by two doors and the vestibule is converted into a cloakroom. into a cloakroom.

1987  –  The Bar-Dancing undergoes another remodelling and the folklore restaurant ‘Spycher’ is created.

1993  –  When the game with skill machines is permitted on 1 June, the casino opens its doors, where the boules table is given pride of place.

1997  –  Total renovation of the ‘le Petit Casino’ restaurant and reopening. The Kursaal Interlaken becomes ‘ISO 9000’ certified. The low ceiling in the former American Bar is dismantled and the room restored. Today’s Club Casino is created.

2000  –  The Kurhausgesellschaft Interlaken AG gets a new name new name: Casino Kursaal Interlaken AG (CKI).

2002  –  On 13 June, the Federal Council grants CKI a type B casino licence.

2004  – Casino Kursaal Interlaken becomes a proud member of Historic Conference Centres of Europe.

2008  –  After more than ten years of planning, the time has come. The municipalities and the canton approve their contributions a new congress hall to be built on the site of the Kursaal site.

2009  –  The Casino Kursaal Interlaken is 150 years old. From 14 May to 18 October, the Jungfrau Region Tourism Museum is hosting a special exhibition about the Kurhaus society. Celebrations are postponed until next year due to the postponed until next year due to the construction of the new congress centre.

2010  –  Opening of the new congress hall (auditorium) and 150th anniversary celebrations on 1 May. Together with the opening of the new congress centre, Interlaken Congress & Events becomes a subsidiary.

2011  –  Casino Kursaal Interlaken AG changes its name to Congress Centre Kursaal Interlaken AG.

2012  –  The Noodlebar opened in May and was sold to Kirchhofer AG two years later.

2014  –  Closure of the restaurant le Petit Casino

2016  –  Austritt aus dem Historic Conference Centers of Europe.

2019  –  Kursaal celebrates its 160th anniversary.

2022  –  New structure since 1 January 2022. To ensure the continued existence of the CKI Group, a new Group structure has been created, which came into force on 1 January 2022. The organisation of Kursaal Interlaken Holding AG as the parent company with the subsidiaries Congress Kursaal Interlaken AG (CKI) and Casino Interlaken AG (CI) will create greater financial transparency for the companies in the future and enable the establishment of an efficient management system. Interlaken Congress & Events AG (IC&E) will continue to run the event business under the name Congress Kursaal Interlaken AG.